1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved cycloidal mass spectrometer and to an ionizer which may be used therein and, more specifically, it relates to such apparatus which readily may be miniaturized.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mass spectrometers in determining the identity and quantity of constituent materials in a gaseous, liquid or solid specimen has long been known. It has been known, in connection with such systems, to analyze the specimen under vacuum through conversion of the molecules into an ionic form, separating the ions by their mass to charge ratio, and permitting the ions to bombard a detector. See, generally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,882,410; 3,070,951; 3,590,243; 4,298,795. See, also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,882,485 and 4,952,802.
In general, ionizers contain an ionizer inlet assembly wherein the specimen to be analyzed is received, a high vacuum chamber which cooperates with the ionizer inlet assembly, an analyzer assembly which is disposed within the high vacuum chamber and is adapted to receive ions from the ionizer. Detector means are employed in making a determination as to the constituent components of the specimen employing mass to charge ratio as a distinguishing characteristic. By one of many known means, the molecules of the gaseous specimen contained in the ionizer are converted into ions which are analyzed by such equipment.
It has been known with prior art cycloidal mass spectrometers to use a single fixed collector and ramped electric field in looking at only one mass to charge ratio at a time.
In known mass spectrometer systems, whether of the cycloidal variety type or not, the ionizers are quite large and, as a result, dominate the design and specifications of the systems to be employed therewith.
In spite of the foregoing system, there remains a very real and substantial need for an improved cycloidal mass spectrometer and for ionizers used therewith and with other types of mass spectrometers.